KING OF THE HAMMERS

Thousands of Enthusiasts Converge on a Barren, Dry Lakebed in the California Desert for the Ultimate Off-Road Experience

- LINDSEY FISHER

If you haven’t heard of King of the Hammers, you’ve been missing out! The massive off-road event held early each year in Johnson Valley, California, offers off-road enthusiasts everything from extreme desert and rock racing to concerts, bars, and as much rowdy fun as you’d like to partake in. This year, we made our way out to the desert for the major rock races of the event for an exclusive look at this amazing event!

How It Started

King of the Hammers got its start back in 2007, like many great ideas do—scrolled on a bar napkin. It was conjured by founders Jeff Knoll and Dave Cole as a challenge to see who could complete all of the hammers (off-road trails) in Johnson Valley as quickly as possible. The first race was a gathering of 12 friends merely competing for a case of beer. In 2008, the first official King of the Hammers event took place, and with it came the crowning of avid rock crawling competitor Shannon Campbell as the first king. By 2009, the event had gained enough interest that a last chance qualifier race was held to see who would get the opportunity to compete against the top 20 finishers of 2008, as well as otherwise qualified competitors through other off-road events. From there, it just kept growing, from the addition of multiple classes to shootouts, concerts and so much more!